A principle cause of domestic fires is well known to originate from electric appliances and particularly from stoves, electric or gas fueled.
A particular factor that increases the cost of fire originating from stoves is that it is common practice to put a meal in the oven or to warm up on the stove and then to retire to another part of the house or “step outside” the house while the food is cooking. This is particularly true when the food being cooked is a roast or turkey or other item that often requires several hours for the cooking process.
Sometimes, the cook forgets that he has “something on the stove” and goes to a movie or other event and finds a house full of smoke/fire when he/she returns.
The technology of fire protection has grown over the years commensurate with advances in electronics.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,636 discloses a fire extinguishing system for a residential cook-stove including a fire extinguisher mounted above a hood in a cabinet positioned in a cabinet over a cook stove. The fire extinguisher is connected by a flexible hose to nozzles within the hood to spray fire retardant over the cook-stove.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,176,805 B2 discloses an intelligent thermostat which, upon detection of a flammable gas regulates operation of appliances that have sources of ignition. This condition is detected by a flammable gas detector which then communicates with the appliances. The device may then send a visual signal to the occupant or sound and alarm.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,113,090 discloses a personal security network where an individual's system of security devices is connected to a central security system.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,965,313 discloses a personal security network where an individual's system of devices is connected to a central network. The user is enabled to set up personal alarms and alert services, to alert designated individuals.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,826,267 discloses an array of appliances controlled by a source of command fields defining operations to be performed within a contact sub-field.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,791,467 discloses a system for remotely controlling devices and includes an adaptive remote controller The remote controller is rf based and has the ability of two way communication with the devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 661,340 discloses a personal security network where an individual's system of security devices are connected to a central security network. The user may setup personalized alarms. And alert the individual when an alert situation occurs.
None of these devices address two immediate needs that a property owner requires when he is faced with the situation of imminent danger from fire particularly when he is “out of the house” and, for one reason or another has left his stove on and smoke is emanating from the stove.
One need is to disconnect power from the stove immediately upon receipt of the alarm signal.
Another need is to alert the owner to take immediate action such as calling a fire department particularly if he is not at home.